1 | Wine | Walla Walla, 2009

"Bright red-ruby. Musky redcurrant, red cherry, plum, tobacco leaf and dried flowers, with hints of woodsmoke and spices; distinctly claret-like. Then rich and plump if a bit youthfully aggressive, with a restrained sweetness to its chocolate, plum and floral flavors. Finishes broad and classically dry, with a smooth dusting of tannins and very good length. I'd give this a couple years in the cellar to round out."

"Good red-ruby. Rather bound-up on the nose, with dark fruit aromas complicated by licorice, black pepper, leather and herbs; just a touch rustic. Offers good mid-palate sweetness and texture but comes across as less pure than the Apogee, with a leathery element currently dominating the underlying fruit. Finishes with broad, ripe tannins and hints of menthol and herbs." -Stephen Tanzer

"Good deep red-ruby. Aromas of dark berries, cocoa powder and licorice. Dense, silky and rich, with a lovely creamy sweetness to the slightly high-toned black raspberry fruit. A compellingly sweet blend with suave, fully ripe tannins and outstanding black raspberry persistence."